Biological materials, or biologies, are used extensively in surgical situations to improve patient outcomes. Biologies are therapeutic agents that are derived from living organisms. Some examples of biologies include vaccines, blood and blood components, allergenics, somatic cells, stem cells, gene therapy, tissues, and recombinant therapeutic proteins created by biological processes. The physical properties of biologic materials, as well as some other therapeutic agents, make their delivery to a surgical site difficult, especially with a minimally invasive approach.
Most biologies delivery systems include a “caulking gun” style delivery unit. These units are capable of delivering material in a straight line-of-sight fashion. Furthermore, most delivery systems leave wasted material within the delivery system, such as within a nozzle or tip of the delivery system.
There is a need for a biologies delivery system that accepts a variety of biological materials. There is also a need for a biologies delivery system that is adapted for minimally invasive procedures. There is also a need for a biologies delivery system that is capable of delivering material to a surgical site via a curved path. The system also maximizes the delivered quantity of biological material, in other words, minimizing waste.